On the occasion of the festival of Diwali, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, inaugurated a shrine of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath. He also performed the Aarti and offered his prayers in the beautiful location.
The last resting place of Adi Shankaracharya lies next to the temple of Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. There was a memorial marking the spot near the temple, but it was damaged during the cloudburst in the upper reaches of the valley in 2013. Soon after the renovation of the temple, the redevelopment of the shrine was also started. The same was completed recently and dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister.
The shrine has a beautiful statue of the monk and preacher. It is surrounded by an artistic yet basic area for meditation. This creates another tourist destination for religious tourism in the state of Uttarakhand which is already famous for its history and presence of multiple places of worship. The Kedarnath temple located in the Rudraprayag district, by itself is a popular tourist destination for both the followers of Shaivite Hinduism and adventure seekers alike. The beautiful as well as treacherous trek to the holy temple is closed for nearly four months every year due to excessive snow and cold weather.
